Chanukah Cooking Tips

If chopping onions for latkes irritates your eyes, try placing the onion in the freezer for a few minutes before cutting. This will make the liquid in the onions slightly frozen, and less likely to splash as you cut.

When chopping onions, hot peppers, etc, you can protect your hands by wearing plastic gloves or by rubbing them first with olive oil, then wiping the excess off with a napkin (to prevent your hands from being slippery, which would be dangerous when using a knife!) After you finish chopping, wash thoroughly with a non-drying soap.

Leave dairy products in the fridge until you need them, and return them promptly. Example- if cooking with sour cream, but also later using it as a garnish for the latkes, place the sour cream in the fridge while the food cooks. Dairy products can pick up bacteria easily, especially in a kitchen that is warm from cooking.

To keep latkes from getting soggy, remove from fire while still crisp (before they get "too done") and place on a cake cooling rack (set inside a pan, so the dripping oil will not go on your counter) while you refill the pan with raw latkes to cook. Then transfer the cooked latkes to a tray lined with paper towels. This prevents excess oil from building up on the paper towels and being reabsorbed by the latkes.

If you are watching fat intake but still crave latkes, try this trick for cooking them:Spray or brush a light coat of olive oil on a cookie sheet. Form latke batter into small round portions on cookie sheet (making each one about half the size of a regular latke). Spray the top of each portion with a very light coat of oil. Bake at 450 degrees Fahrenheit until golden brown, about 15-20 minutes. If you cannot find a Kosher spray on oil, simply turn the latkes over after the first ten minutes. This will brown both sides.

Half-cooked latkes, beaten eggs, and fried onions can all be frozen ahead of time.

If making and freezing a yeast dough ahead of time, wrap with plastic wrap and let rise for a minute in the plastic wrap before placing in the freezer. This will fill all the miniscule air-pockets with dough, eliminating freezer burn and that 'freezer taste'.

For the coincidence of Chanukah and U.S. Thanksgiving in 2013, try a delicious variation: add 8 tablespoons of canned puree pumpkin to your potato, onion, egg, flour, salt and pepper mixture and fry latkes in hot oil until the latkes begin to crisp. Blot hot latkes with paper towels.

AnonymousSan Diego, Californiachabaddowntownla.com

December 15, 2009

crisp latkes

what is the point of crisp latkes? the gemutlicheit of latkes is the hot greasy taste. just use good olive oil, and make them thin so they cook quicker. take them out and keep them hot in the oven, or freeze and thaw in the radar. you won't get too much grease and it won't be the toxic kind.

david weinstockfairfax , ca

December 13, 2009

freezing dough?

I like the idea of freezing the dough ahead of time for doughnuts. But how do I thaw it out? so I can form it and fry it?

Mary S.Monroe, MI

December 11, 2009

Reply: making latkes ahead of time

Can't think of way out of the problem if you fry them. Consider instead of frying baking on an oven stone. Will make a very crisp product, you can keep the latkes warm until the entire batch is done. If they wilt, just pop them back in the oven for a few minutes.

JudyJacksonville, FL

December 11, 2009

Veggie Latkes

Love the veggie latkes idea. Will try a different variety each day! But will make low fat, in the oven.

JudyJacksonville, FL

December 10, 2009

making latkes ahead of time

When making latkes for 12 people and for keeping them hot, but not soggy as you fry, so that everyone can eat at the same time, what do you do? I've tried leaving them in a warm oven, but they always sog up? Does anyone have a solution?

MichalIsrael

November 3, 2009

In reply to sheryl

yes! i am allergic to dairy and I use soy milk. In my opinion it tastes just fine!

Anonymoustucson, az

December 23, 2008

using soy milk for a pareve substitute

Chag Orim Sameach! I want to make pareve donuts but dont want to use dairy creamer.Can I use soy milk? Thanks